Assessment of Household Work as Compensation for Physical Activity Deficit Amongst Older Adults in a Nigerian Urban Setting

Urban older adults tend to be physically inactive and often remain indoors. Household work of a sample of 300 urban-dwelling adults (50-65 years) from a Nigerian state capital was therefore investigated for physical activity (PA) levels. Questionnaire on participation in household tasks, time and days/week for the tasks, awareness of health benefits of PA and household work as exercise was used. Greater participation occurred in household chores than outdoor/yard work (70.0 vs 44.0%) while participation varied with specific chores (55.0-70.0%) and yard work (28.7-34.0%). Gender, education, age and living with spouse or children/helper were associated with performance of household chores (P<0.05) as well as with yard work except living with spouse. Prevalence of low-intensity household PA was high with only 0.9-13.8% attaining moderate-intensity level and no vigorous-intensity. Low prevalence of awareness of PA health benefits (32.3%) and household work as exercise (14.4%) was observed, but were related to good performance of household work (OR, 1.50-1.55; CL, 0.55-3.54). The finding that 13% of the respondents attained moderate-intensity PA indicated the potential of household work to compensate for the absence of other physical activities. Thus public health campaigns based on household work as exercise in a gender sensitive African society becomes necessary.